Delhi High Court directs police inquiry into whereabouts of woman missing from Adhyatmik Vidhyalya ashram

The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Police conduct an inquiry into the case of a woman who has been missing under suspicious circumstances from a spiritual ashram called the Adhyatmik Vidhyalya situated at Rohini in Delhi [Dumpala Meenavathi and Anr. Vs Union of India and Ors.]..A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia passed the order on August 24 on a petition filed by the missing woman’s parents (petitioners)..The petitioners alleged that their daughter was being illegally confined by the ashram and sought her release.Two followers of the ashram, who were present in court, meanwhile said that the petitioners' daughter was no longer residing at the ashram. They, however, said that her luggage and belongings were still lying at the ashram.The Court went on to note that there was no clarity on who was running the ashram at present, and the source of funds used for its functioning. “We are of the opinion that the affairs of the aashram and the manner in which they are being run needs to be probed and inquired into," the Court said, adding that this aspect will be examined in the next hearing. Meanwhile, it directed the Delhi Police to register a missing person case and conduct an inquiry into the whereabouts of the petitioners' daughter.The Court has also directed the Station House Officer of the concerned police station branch to be physically present in court during the next hearing to inform it about the outcome of the inquiry..The petitioners had told the Court that the ashram's founder, Virender Dev Dixit, had earlier refused to allow them to speak to their daughter on video call. However, after persistent insistence they were allowed a video call. During this call, they allegedly noted that their daughter's gums were blackened and that she appeared severely weak and malnourished. They alleged that this health deterioration occurred due to forced drug abuse.The petitioners, therefore, also urged the Court to order a medical examination of their daughter at a government hospital to ascertain if she is under the influence of any drug. The petitioner parents further pointed out that the asharam's founder has been absconding and several criminal complaints are pending against him. A Special Public Prosecutor representing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) later informed the Court that the founder has passed away..Earlier, in 2017, a petition had been filed before the High Court raising larger concerns regarding the illegal detention and exploitation of girls at the ashram.In 2022, the High Court had constituted a high powered committee which conducted inspections at the ashram’s branches. The committee found several irregularities and illegalities. It also found that there were minor girls living at the ashram. A team set up by the Court informed it that 100 girls were housed in animal like conditions with no privacy. A CBI investigation was initiated on the Court's directions in May 2023.The latest petition points out that such measures seem to have had little effect in dismantling the ashram's unlawful functioning. “Despite nearly a decade of complaints filed by the petitioners, the state machinery and the existing proceedings under Article 226 have proven to be ineffective in securing the liberty of the Respondent No.4 [missing woman] or in dismantling the unlawful institutional setup at the premises of Respondent No.6, Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya,” the petition stated. The petition moved by the parents was filed through advocate Mani Munjal. The case will be heard next on August 31. .Advocates Mani Munjal, Nitika Sukheja, Parth Yadav and Mayank Tomar appeared for parents of the missing woman.Advocates Tushar Sannu and Vaibhav Tripathi appeared for the Delhi government.Special Public Prosecutor Rajesh Kumar appeared for the CBI.Advocate Aakansha Kaul assisted the Court as amicus curiae.[Read order]